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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Trevor just started his 2 hours a day, 4 days a week practices yesterday. That means I have to do meals that allow for advance prep before practice and then short cook times after practice ends at 8:30.

Although recipes and ingredients vary, satay usually consists of chunks or slices of meat on skewers that are grilled over wood or charcoal fires. Satay is usually served with a spicy peanut sauce or peanut gravy and accompanied by slivers of onion and cucumber in vinegar.

2. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of the lime juice, the peanut butter, the cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the vinegar, and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the chili sauce, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the sugar, stirring until it reaches a smooth, thick, gravy-like consistency. Cover and set aside.

3. To make the marinade, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the soy sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the lime juice, the remaining 1 tablespoon of the sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the chili sauce, the onions, ginger, garlic, lime zest, and oil. Process until puréed and set aside.

4. Cut the beef against the grain into pieces 6 inches (15 cm) long and ½ inch (1 cm) wide. Thread the beef lengthwise, piercing it in several places in an accordion fold, on the prepared skewers. Transfer the skewers to a large, shallow pan and pour the marinade over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Make sure the grill is clean and generously sprayed with nonstick grilling spray. Preheat the barbecue to medium high (350°F [180°C] to 400°F [200°C]).

6. Place a strip of heavy-duty aluminum foil across the front 3 to 4 inches of the grill. The bottom part of the satay skewers can rest on this, protecting the part you handle from burning.

7. Remove the skewers from the marinade and drain, discarding the marinade. Place the skewers on the grill over direct heat for 2 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, warm the peanut sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it just barely begins to bubble.

8. Serve the satay on the skewers with small bowls of the warmed peanut sauce on the side, for dipping.

I grilled the kabobs for 8 minutes total since I wasn't using thin strips. Then I “stir-fired” some peppers and onions for a side.

We were able to be eating this just about 30 minutes after getting home...

Not McDonalds. Not a frozen pizza. We ate a fresh and kick butt grilled dinner and it completely disappeared into a chorus of “that is soooo good!”. The dipping sauce is mild, don't worry about the sririacha sauce making it too hot. If you want hot, use more sriracha.

I'll be posting more about 1,001 Best Grilling Recipes next week including a review, an interview, and a giveaway, so stay tuned.

Looks awesome! Putting it on my menu for August! We too frequently eat dinner very late, especially in the summer due to activities. What is 1/2 hour for some delicious home-cooking? I always tell myself, if we drove to a fast food place, it would take about the same time as a well planned dinner anyway!

The phrase "that is soooo good" is music to a cooks ears. Beautiful photo Chris. One of your best I think. It's a challenge to plan in advance and cook at the last minute. Trever is a lucky young man.Sam

Great job thinking ahead and taking the time to do the prep work ahead of time. I always end up getting frazzled when I do all that running around during the dinner hours. This is a great option for those nights.

I feel like whenever kids join sports teams, it's a workout for the parents as well. But in the race to get dinner on the table at a reasonable hour, it seems like you came in first! Love the sound of that marinade!

This sounds wonderful and I'd get to use Sriracha sauce which I'm crazy for. Meals that you can completely prep ahead of time are the best and what's even better is the ingredients are always in my kitchen. Have a great weekend - stay cool!